AU Ezra/Ryliee

Run. I have to run. If I stop running...

Ryliees bare feet pounced against the earth as she sprinted into the trees, pushing her body as fast as she could. Her escape had been one of chance, and if taken back, should she survive the punishment, it would never happen again. A failed experiment had shut down security systems, and she had managed to slip out before lock down procedures had sealed the building. Pretty soon they'd discover her missing and she wanted to be as far away as she could possibly be when that happened.

Darting through the trees and jumping over logs, she didn't notice how scratched up she was getting. Branches cutting into her arms, face, and legs, stray stick stabbing into her feet with every step. The adrenaline numbed the pain, and she pushed harder. Her muscles screamed for her to stop but she couldn't. Stopping meant death, or return to the hole she had just crawled out of.

Focused solely on creating as much distance between herself and her former prison she hardly noticed her surroundings. The forest had opened up into a tall grass field, no cover for at least 500 yards where the trees converged again. Only hesitating for a moment, she pushed forward, ignoring the pain in her legs and lungs. 

Through the sound of wind rushing through her ears, she picked up another sound that sent panic slicing through her. Stumbling forward, Ryliee whipped around scanning the field for signs of movement. Someone was there.

It took a moment for her to be able to focus enough to see a shadow moving out from the trees, a dark haired boy, expressionless face, slowly advancing towards her. Paranoia and fear ruled her then, and she used every ounce of strength she had and began focusing her ability to rip trees up by their roots and throw them across the field at him. 

Every single time the tree was destroyed or diverted before reaching him as he continued his approach. "Get away from me!" She screamed, backing away, her attempts to throttle him getting more desperate with each throw. He was close enough now that she could see the details of his face, watching his hair shift in the wind. Terrified at what would happen if he reached her, she slammed a tree down in between them, the force of which threw her backwards, tossing her to the ground.

Ryliee couldn't move. Her muscles ached, locking up when she tried to push herself to her feet, causing panic to rise within her, tightening her airways, pressing down on her chest.

"Please don't make me go back..."  Her voice cracked as she spoke, tears building behind her eyes. She couldn't go back.. she would die before she let herself get dragged back to that hellish prison.

Lock-down was efficient, as far as protocols were concerned. The entire complex shut down tightly, quickly extinguishing any and all thoughts of release or escape by those who were interred within. Gates were closed, doors locked, spotlights on, and dogs out; clearly they had learned from past mistakes when things went awry within their walls. In the years prior to that night, there had not been a single escape. No one left the yard that wasn’t supposed to. But that night was different. Someone got loose, and they were intent on escaping, even if they died in the process.

He followed the Meta through the forest, keeping a healthy distance so as not to be noticed. Ezra was faster though, and well prepared for the terrain, so he beat her to the other side of the field where waited patiently, leaning against a far tree as he steadily breathed. Deeply in…. deeply out.

‘Be patient. Wait for the right moment. Act with purpose.’

Within seconds she came into view, her hair knotted and tangled, hanging over her eyes like a mess of twigs and pine needles. Ezra blinked slowly, pushing off the tree and walking toward her with that signature disinterest in his eyes, his face blank and void of any emotion whatsoever. Over the sounds of trees being freed from the dirt, he could not hear her pleas for mercy. Each chunk of forest that was hucked in his direction was quickly splintered by blasts of bright light, and while those flashes kept him safe from harm, they also served as a pulsing beacon to anyone who might be looking for him, or the wayward girl.

The last tree stopped him in his tracks, and that earned her a displeased growl from the dark-haired young man. Placing his hand on the bark of the mighty forest-dweller, Ezra’s differently-colored eyes began to glow softly. Quickly the tree began to head up, and in only moments, was suddenly struck in twain, leaving no barriers between himself and the escapee.

“Gen wo lai, xianzai,” he commanded, speaking the language of the land. He had no idea what language she spoke, but most of the people that stayed in that facility were either natives or had been taken while living in the Republic of China. If she didn’t speak it, he’d simply try another language.

That language!

Ryliees gaze snapped up to his, her eyes narrowing in paranoid distrust. Her lip curled, and despite the lack of strength, she pushed herself up using her ability to keep herself standing upright.

"Fuck you." She snarled. Her hands curled into fists at her sides, her bright green hues, once shining with tears, now defiant and full of rage. Ryliee had had enough of being poked and prodded and pushed around by these people. She wasn't having it anymore. If he was going to take her back it would be over her dead and lifeless carcass.

With a flick of her wrist the shards of broken trees around her came to life hovering inches in front of her like a barrier of spikes. It didn't matter what his power was or how he got so close, if he thought she was going down without a fight then he was in for a shock. Ryliee had been pushed around and stepped on her whole life, being used, abused, and tossed aside as if she were garbage. She'd rather die than do any of it again.

“English, then,” he stated, his face never faltering, his eyes never leaving her defiant hues. She could resist all she wanted, but his mission was, and had always been, crystal clear. He had never failed to bring in a mark, even when they resisted. He was an Alpha, after all, and Alphas did not know how to fail. Their hearts were just made differently, it seemed. Ezra sighed slightly, annoyed at the idea that the unnamed girl would give him any issues.

Quickly he summed up her condition with his eyes, from the cuts and scraps across her skin to the mess of hair atop her head. The way her arms shook told him that she was fuming but unable to let go of her anger and use it constructively. Her legs, folded underneath her, likely felt like jelly after running, her bleeding soles leaving crimson pools in the snow behind her. She was exhausted and furious, which meant she was marginally dangerous to himself, but was more dangerous to herself.

“Here are your options: You can fight me, lose, and I drag you away from here unconscious. You can fight me and exhaust yourself and I leave you here to be retrieved. You can try to run, exhaust yourself, and get caught. Finally, you can sit there and bleed in the snow while you wait for them to get you and take you back.” Ezra shrugged his shoulders, that same passive look in his eyes. His body radiated heat, residual energy leftover from his power use.

“Oh… and before you decide, you should know that the actual temperature…” Ezra pulled his energy back, no longer radiating the pleasant temperature. “… is actually this.” Immediately the ambient temperature plummeted as the source of heat suddenly extinguished itself, leaving the girl to brave the harsh cold and whipping wind in nothing but, effectively, her underwear.

That man switched to English with no effort leaving Ryliee feeling more than a little shocked, and almost suspicious of him. His options indicated that he was not there to take her back to the facility she just escaped and while that brought her some relief, it also made her uneasy. He knew what she was, clearly, he had known where she was, but he was not one of theirs so how had he known? More importantly, where did he intend on taking her?

Slowly the Meta lowered the broken branches, but did not move closer to him, though she missed the warmth that had been there moments ago. It seemed he was the source of heat, so that was one thing that he could do, she deduced. Now, what else was he capable of?

For a brief moment, Ryliee considered her condition. Her whole body ached, she was covered in cuts and bruises and now that the full brunt of the weather was on her the scars on her chest pulled against her painfully. Perhaps it was not a terrible idea to follow him for now. If he was lying then she would run, hopefully having regained some of her strength back by then.

"I have no inclination to freeze to death here, nor do I plan on going back there. If you're taking me away, then lead, I will follow." Ryliees voice was colder than the air, and though she conceded with her words, it would be unwise of him to believe she trusted him. "For now."

His gaze did not change when debris ceased to circle around her, but he did take note. Her power made her exceedingly dangerous, as she did not need to move to activate it. Her control was also quite advanced, being able to hold so many smaller pieces in close proximity to each other. Despite the tortures that she endured inside the program, it had done her some benefit. Anguish was not always a disservice, and she and Ezra were living proof. This also meant that he would have to watch, not only her, but his surroundings as well, and that made him bristle internally. He'd have to study her hard to determine whether or not he could trust her.

"I don't lead. You walk beside me or you find your own way." Clearly he did not trust her just as much as she would not trust him. He felt such a feeling was warranted, for there was no friendship nor kinship to bring him to the conclusion that she could be trusted. Some Metas were locked away for a reason, no matter how much he wanted to believe otherwise. It led him to wonder what he would do if she did turn on him. Would he be able to react in time, or would she brain him without a chance to retaliate? No one would know until that situation occurred, if it ever did.

He waited for her to accept or deny his statement, his hands shoved in his pockets and his temperature rising. The snow around him softened and melted as he stood, posture aloof and face unfeeling. It had occurred to him that she may not have been able to stand, much less walk, but he wouldn't know until she tried. Ezra didn't relish in the idea of having to carry her, but years of conditioning left the option on the table, if the need arose.

His response almost made Ryliee smirk. So, he didn't trust her as much as she didn't trust him. He was smart, good for him. Now it remained to be seen whether or not it was wise to go with him.

Forcing herself to her feet, her legs shaking, she stepped towards him refusing to allow herself to fall. She wasn't in the business of being humiliated or pandered to, so she would walk by herself until her own legs fell off before she'd allow assistance. Besides, she wasnt even sure if the Unreadable Companion she found herself with would carry her or just leave her to die if she couldn't walk and she wasn't taking that chance. And it would be a cold day in Hell before she asked as much.

As she neared him she felt the warmth from before and shuddered involuntarily at the change, though she didn't mind it. Ryliee was beginning to feel quite exposed in the cold air, but she wasn't one to complain. She hated looking weak or fragile as it seemed to give the impression that she was.

Extending her arm out in a sarcastic gesture of 'lead the way' she spoke. "Well then, let's get going. I'd not like to be here all night."

Studying her stance and the way she walked told him much about situation at that particular moment. There was a spirit to fight on inside her, which he could appreciate. Most of the people he pulled from different facilities were broken in body, mind and spirit. She, on the other hand, had a determination that could only be forged in the fires of Hell itself, the very place she was leaving behind her. Ezra could only hope that the inferno within her would turn into an ember, hot to the touch but tempered by self-restraint.

Their hike wasn't a long one, only a couple of miles really. Ezra said not a word, but suddenly stopped. He knelt down and stretched his hand into the snow, gripping a short length of rope, lifting as he stood to reveal a hidden hatch underneath the pillow white. "Inside," he said shortly with a gesture of his head. Inside was a small hole in the ground with a ladder that lead down into the dark hideaway.

Ryliee was not opposed to the silence as idle chit chat was an annoyance. That and she needed all the energy she had to remain upright. When they happened upon the secret hatch in the ground, she merely raised an eyebrow, then shrugged and lowered herself into the hideaway. Under normal circumstances she'd make a sarcastic remark about his manners, or lack thereof, but the walk was draining her more than she'd like.

Waiting for him to come down as well, she shifted uncomfortably on her feet, an itch under her skin. Ryliee was well versed in the beginnings of drug withdrawal and was hoping that she could push off the worst of the coming symptoms for as long as she could. The itch would be followed by the shakes, then fever and muscle aches; hopefully that was as bad as it got but she knew with her history it would likely get much, much worse.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she clenched her jaw, feeling a chill creeping up her spine. Not now... for fucks sake...

Once he was sufficiently sure that the girl had made it down to the bottom, Ezra looked around one final time before lowering himself into the small vertical tunnel, pulling the hatch closed behind him. He locked it from the inside, then climbed down the ladder to where she wait in the hideout below. As soon as his feet touched the floor, though the entire space was cloaked in solid darkness, he felt at home, and knew exactly where to go.

He turned right 90 degrees and walked several steps, a number he'd committed to memory for just this reason. Reaching down with his hands he felt the candle he'd placed there before, and the matches next to it. Within seconds, the room was dimly illuminated by the single candle, then another, and another, until there was enough light to see comfortably. The flames atop the wax pillars all leaned in the same direction, indicating that air holes had been carved out already.

The room itself was remarkable only in its simplicity. It was small, roughly 15' on each side with a ceiling that just barely cleared Ezra's own head. It had been carved completely out of the earth, with randomly pieces of carpets and rugs to cover the dirt floor. The occasionally 2x12 jutted out of the ground against a wall, piercing the ceiling to hold it in place. Those planks allowed some lightweight items to be hung on the walls to save space. On one side of the room was a table with no chairs and a chest next to it, and on the opposite wall were several sleeping bags and some extra blankets. There were two wide planks on the floor on the northeast and southwest corners covering holes in the ground.

"We won't be here long," he said, amping up his body temperature as he lit a final lantern. The room would not stay cold for long. "The wind will quickly hide our tracks. As soon as they stop looking around here, we'll leave again. If you're hungry there's food in the chest, and sleeping bags to rest." His voice was quiet, but still carrying that passive attitude that made everyone else believe he didn't care about anything. In truth he cared about many things, but life was easier when he pushed those out of his mind and focused on his mission.

Despite the rise in temperature Ryliee still shook, tightening her grip on her arms. She sank down against the wall and breathed deeply closing her eyes. Her whole body throbbed, partially from her cuts and bruises and running, partially from the preparing muscle aches.

The Meta concentrated on slow, even breaths and not on the building anxiety that came with her.. condition. After a moment or so, she opened her eyes and in the dim light began to assess her injuries, making sure to keep her mind busy.

"Anything in your magical cave of wonders to clean these?" Ryliee spoke just as softly, though still with a hostile undertone. She couldn't help it, it was her natural way. "Oh.. thanks, by the way, whatever your name is." She had realized she hadn't properly thanked him, and though that wasn't 'proper' he wasn't getting a better one. It was all she could manage anyway, having never been in a situation where she had to offer thanks at all. He was lucky to even get that.

"Ezra. And you are...?" he asked dryly, turning his back on her for the first time since they met. He moved to the chest near the table, opened it up, and produced a basic med kit, along with a few additional items that might have been handy to have, just in case. After closing the lid, he returned to her, sinking down to a kneeling position to take a closer look at her injuries. None of them seemed to be life-threatening, so he took one of the many clean cloths and, with the help of some soap and water, began working on her legs.

"I want you to understand something," he continued as he worked to clean her wounds. "I was not there to rescue you specifically. This was not a rescue mission solely for your benefit. I did not orchestrate the escape just for you. It was my intention to steal as many of you away from that place as possible. I'm telling you this so you won't get the wrong idea. The world outside, while not as bad as it is in there, is still dangerous. Do you have anywhere to go?"

"Ryliee."

As he worked on her legs she began to clean what she could see, and reach, on her arms and stomach. Just scratches, and nothing major, but cleaning the dirt off gave her hands something to do. His question gave her pause, but she considered it for a moment before shaking her head softly.

"I didn't leave thinking I was being rescued. I saw an opportunity and took it. Being rescued isn't in the cards for me. Your appearance was a surprise." As much as she tries to stop it, her hands shook as she worked and she shuddered again feeling cold but knowing that her skin was burning. "I have nowhere to return to, unless I want to go back on the street. But that's of no concequence to you, so just drop me where ever and I'll find my way.

"While I appreciate whatever this is I'm not of the habit to making my problems someone elses. Just do what you came to do and go find someone worthy of helping." Though her words could come off as bitter or resentful her tone held none of that. She really was just of the belief that she wasn't worth it. While her life was full of shit, she wasnt exactly innocent and thought she didn't deserve any help.

Washing another person’s wounds was not typically in Ezra’s job description, unless one was completely incapable of doing it for themselves. But getting people out of Choung Fa Research in the winter… anyone that fled their walls had to know that they were likely fleeing to their death, as they were likely to freeze to death long before they reached civilization. “Escaping only to find your death in the ice and snow is not an escape. A release, perhaps, but not an escape. That’s why I’m here and not someone else.” Unlike many other Metas and all other humans, Ezra was his own heat source, making him the optimal choice for cold-weather operations.

Once he finished her legs, only up to the knees, he reached over and collected a fresh cloth, draping it across her thigh to finish herself. It would have been inappropriate for him to go any higher than he already head. Not that it bothered him… nothing did. Nothing excited him either. His father had made him cold. His mother taught him to never be ashamed. The world molded him into a solid titanium blade, something to carve through the hate and bigotry against his kind. “Here, you can finish up yourself. I’ll get you some food.

Taking the cloth from her thigh, Ryliee began to finish cleaning her legs. The fact that he stopped made no difference to her, she hadn't even thought that he'd start so it wasn't a big deal. When he mentioned getting her something to eat she could feel her stomach roll and she gritted her teeth against the sensation.

"I'm gonna have to say no to that." She didn't look up at him as she spoke, setting the cloth aside now that most of the dirt and blood was gone from her wounds. Weighing the options and possibilities in her mind on whether or not to expand on her statement made her pause. It made no sense why she, a clearly malnourished escapee, would deny something to eat, so the only logical thing to do was tell him. Well, maybe not everything.

"I am in the beginning stages of withdrawal, so eating something would be a waste of time, resources, and it would be disgusting." Ryliee leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, pulling her legs close. She couldn't stop shaking and was already beginning to sweat. This was the easy part, it would only get worse from here.

Ryliee’s declaration had Ezra’s nervous grating against themselves like the grinding of gears. It wasn’t uncommon for different research facilities to employ unorthodox tactics to dissuade their subjects from trying to escape. Addicting her to something that she could only get from them would be a relatively efficient way of forcing her to return, should she ever actually succeed in escaping. Ezra couldn’t help but wonder if the introduction of foreign and poisonous substances would cause irregularities in their studies, but obviously it was not enough of a problem to force them to change their habits.

The young man straightened out and pondered the thought for a moment. He reached into the chest and pulled enough protein bars to feed several people and started to munch away, one at a time. “What did they give you,” he asked, though this was a test. He had a pretty good guess, but he wanted to see what she would say if he casually asked for more information. Her reaction would determine his reaction, as it were.

“I need to know if this is going to cause any delays or slowdowns in escaping from here completely. We cannot stay here very long.”

Slowly opening her eyes, the Meta frowned, glaring at him. What difference did it make what drug she'd been on? Withdrawal is withdrawal and it sucked no matter which one it was. Then again it didn't really make a difference if he knew. Not like he'd have any or even give her any if he did. With a soft grunt of irritation she shifted slightly in her position and closed her eyes again.

"Heroin." Ryliee kept her eyes closed for a few reasons, a part of it being that she'd seen enough judgemental stares in her lifetime to ever want to see another. She didn't need to see it from a dude she just met who didn't have the right to judge her anyway. Whether or not he did she wouldn't know as she refused to open her eyes and find out.

"If you know anything about withdrawal then you'll know it will slow you down and cause delays." Her tone was sharper than she meant it to be, but she wasn't going to apologize. It was a fact. Her withdrawal wasn't going to wait until they were safe, it wasn't going to stop just because she willed it to. If it were that easy it wouldn't be withdrawal.